Atwima-Kwanwoma ups effort to bring down teenage pregnancy

By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah, GNA

Aburaso (Ash), July 07, GNA – The Atwima-Kwanwoma District Directorate of Health Services has launched an outreach programme to mobilize the support of key stakeholders and community members to fight growing teenage pregnancy and substance abuse among the youth in the district.

It has been working together with the mission and private health facilities on community sensitization programmes to create awareness of the dangers associated with drug abuse and teenage pregnancy.

Mr. Thomas Qyason, an official at the health directorate, said the misuse of hard drugs and increasing rate of child mothers had become a major headache to them.

Speaking at one of such outreach programmes organized at Aburaso by Methodist Health Centre, he announced that a total of 206 teenage pregnancies had been reported in the district as of the end of May.

For last year, there were 458 of such pregnancies and he put the 2015 total at 507.

In the Aburaso community alone, 31 teenage pregnancies had been seen within the first five months of this year.

Mr. Qyason highlighted the need for all to pull together to provide adequate protection for the youth.

The community outreach programmes were meant to solicit the support of the chiefs, assembly members, teachers, women and youth associations and healthcare providers to team up to help the young people to show responsibility.

Mr. Joseph Atta Amankwaa, General Manager of Methodist Health Facilities in the Kumasi Diocese, re-affirmed the church’s enduring commitment towards bringing quality health care to the people.

He, however, complained about delays in reimbursement of insurance claims by the National health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and said that was affecting the operations of the facilities.

Nana Kwaku Sah II, chief of Kromoase, reminded parents of their responsibility to children - their proper upbringing and good character training.

He encouraged teachers to provide counselling, especially to teenage girls to help them to focus on their education.

GNA

Read Full Story